Linkbar

Monday, August 06, 2007

Unread Authors Challenge

Ariel from Sycorax Pine is hosting the Unread Authors Challenge. The challenge will extend from September to February and will involve the reading of six books, each by an author the reader has yet to read, a set of books by an author the participant has yet to read or a combination of the two. For the rules and details, please refer to Ariel's Unread Authors Challenge post on her blog.

Ariel writes, ". . . almost all of us have authors who we have long meant to read, but somehow never gotten around to. Perhaps you have always been intrigued but intimidated by their work. Perhaps "required reading" and your favorite authors have taken up most of your time. Perhaps they have been sitting on your shelves for years, continually trumped by new fascinations. Well, now is their time."

This was an especially difficult challenge for which to choose books. There are an unbelievable amount of books in my TBR collection by authors I have yet to read.

Alternates:The Art of Mending by Elizabeth BergThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael ChabonWater for Elephants by Sara GruenWhat Was She Thinking? (Notes on a Scandal) by Zoe HellerThe History of Love by Nicole KraussThe Road by Cormac McCartyThe English Patient by Michael OndaatjeDigging to America by Anne TylerMother Night by Kurt VonnegutNight Watch by Sarah WatersIn Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

27 comments:

Wow, great books on that list! As you know, Zusak is a favorite of mine, along with Berg (although that particular Berg book I didn't think was her best), and Tyler. I see you will be reading a Waters book along with me :)

You have some really good ones on this list! Notes on a Scandal has been sitting on my shelf (sadly unread) for quite a while, and I have been wanting to read Night Watch since it came out, having loved Fingersmith.

I look forward to hearing what you think about the many authors from your list that I also haven't read. Welcome to the challenge!-Ariel/Sycorax Pine/ Pour of Tor

Wendy - I admit that I compiled my list from looking at others. Sarah Waters book is on my list because I saw you had selected it and it was one I really wanted to read. :-) And I couldn't leave out Zusak's book with the way everyone talks about it. Haha Berg and Tyler are two authors I keep wanting to try, but never get around to. Maybe I'll get to them this round. If not, they can be on my TBR Challenge list for next year. :-)

Ariel - Thank you for hosting this challenge! I considered reading Fingersmith first, but decided to go with Night Watch. I've heard both are really good. I admit to choosing Notes on a Scandal partly because I want to see the movie, but feel I should read the book first. :-)

Great choices! I'm glad to see you've caught Book Thief fever. I also enjoyed Notes on a Scandal, and will be reading The Road for the NYT Notable & Book Awards challenges. I've enjoyed several of your alternates as well. Good luck with the challenge!

Good list. I hope you'll keep The Book Thief on it. What a great story.I'm still not sure if I'll do this challenge. It's a good one but I'd like to finish a couple before joining any others. We'll see. Anyway, good luck!

I haven't read any of the books on your list or any of the authors, how rubbish is that. I think I have too many challenges to take this one on at the moment, but will see how things go this month. Good luck with it, I think it's a great idea to read books by new authors and expand your reading. It's very easy to get stuck reading series after series by the same authors.

I've only read four of these books, but several of the other authors are on my TBR list. I will be looking forward to your reviews, especially "The Book Thief." I love to discuss that one with people who have just read it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

CR - I think that if what everyone says is true, I will definitely like The Book Thief. :-)

Debi - Jennifer Weiner is one of those authors I have been meaning to get around to reading but haven't managed to get to yet. Hopefully I'll get to her for this challenge.

Laura - Thanks. I figure it's time to bite the bullet and read those books everyone is talking about: The Road and The Book Thief. And I've been wanting to read Notes on a Scandal since I first learned about it.

Amy - I probably should've stayed out of this one too, but I decided to give it a go. A few of the books are crossovers with other challenges and so that will make it easier.

Nymeth - It is a great idea for a challenge. I'll at least get to the main six. I'm not sure about the alternates. I don't have a lot of luck getting those read in time for challenges because of all the other challenges I am in. Oh well. There's always later, right?

Alice - Thank you! I am looking forward to reading the books. The English Patient is one of my favorite movies. I figure it's about time I read the book. Hopefully I'll get to it this round.

Tanabata - I won't tell you about the other three I plan to join before the year is out then. LOL I'm doing a lot of overlapping. It feels like cheating, but the challenge hosts don't seem to mind.

Kookie - When I decided I had to try a Vonnegut novel, that was the one that most caught my eye and so it was added to my TBR collection. I think the premise of the book sounds interesting. I also think perhaps I heard a couple of characters on a tv show talking about the book, although I couldn't for the life of me tell you which tv show it was. It wasn't something I normally watch . . .

Iliana - Thank you! I definitely plan to read The Book Thief for this one. It may not be until January, but it will get read.

Carrie - It is terrible, isn't it? I plan on remedying that very soon though! :-)

Malady - I definitely will be watching the movie after reading the book. It's one of my picks for the Book to Movie Challenge, which I haven't yet gotten around to posting about. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed some of my other choices! I always like to hear that!

Rhinoa - If it helps, I haven't read any of them either. :-) I really do enjoy trying out new authors as well as visiting with old favorites. It's good to have a balance, I think. :-)

Framed - I am looking forward to reading The Book Thief. It sounds like it will be really good.

I've been eyeing this challenge for the fall, as well as the Seconds Challenge. If I join, I may have to copy some of your great selections. I'm eager to read some Sarah Waters after reading Danielle's (A Work in Progress) great review of Fingersmith. And I hope you enjoy the Zusak. It really is as fantastic as everyone says!

I have a lot of the same unread authors as you: McCarthy, Sarah Waters, Zusak (until today) Berg, Ondaatje, Tyler, and i only read Vonnegut a few months ago.It makes me wonder what the heck I've been reading all these years when there are these lists of books that people love and I've never read/heard of so many.I can't join this challenge! I have so many new authors already that I want to read another of. My reading has changed so much this year.

Elizabeth - The list of unread authors for many of us could probably go on and on. :-) I picked books that were already on my shelves to read and so I figured it wouldn't kill me to add this challenge to my long list of challenges.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Musings of a Bookish Kitty. Don't be shy! I would love to hear from you. Due to a recent increase in spam, I will be moderating all comments for the foreseeable future. Please be patient with me as it may take a few hours before I am able to approve your comment.

Contributors

At the age of five, Literary Feline (aka Wendy) was diagnosed as a fabulavore. Due to the low story content of movies and television, she has required a steady supply of books to provide her sustenance. She currently resides in California with her loving husband, adorable daughter, and two affectionate and sassy cats. Literary Feline has broadened her nutritional sources by reviewing books. Please note: Literary Feline is not a bibliovore. She's not eating the books for goodness' sake.